Korean Players in Major League Baseball Essay -- Major League Baseball

Even though Chan-Ho Park’s case proved that Korean players could compete in Major League Baseball, none of other Koreans successfully settled in U.S.A. after Park. Approximately after ten years, a similar case with Park’s debut came out with Shin-Soo Choo. Shin-Soo Choo, who did not make a debut in Korean Baseball Championship before debuting in Major League Baseball, made debut with Seattle Mariners on 21 April 2005. Choo dreamed about Major League Baseball, which led him into a Rookie contract with Seattle mariners after his graduation from high school in 2000. Therefore, he made up to Seattle Mariners’s Minor League and even up to Major League (â€Å"Choo Shin Soo†). Nonetheless, his debut in the Major League did not lead him into running for full season, and he mostly spent time in the minor league. Finally, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians in 2006. As soon as he was traded to Indians, he ironically hit a home run against the Seattle Ma riners, and he recorded a 0.295 Batting Average and a 0.373 OBP (On Base Percentage) in 2006 season with the Cleveland. A similar quality of plays was continued until the season 2008. In 2008, Choo finished the season with a 0.309 Batting Average and a 0.397 OBP. Even more, during September, he pushed up his Batting Average up to a 0.40 with thirty-four hits and five home runs. Hence, Shin-Soo Choo was selected as the American League Player of the Month. In 2009, Choo made contract with Indians for only one year, and during the one-year contract, he broke his records and joined 20-20 club (20 home runs and 20 stolen bases). Choo was the first Asian to earn the title in the Major Leagues and became the only player in the American League with a 0.30 Batting Average, 20 home runs, and 20... ....com." Baseball-Reference.com. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. "Korean Baseball History." Naver Encyclopedia. NHN, Web. 17 Mar. 2014. Minami, Craig. "2013 Dodgers Review: Hyun-jin Ryu - True Blue LA." True Blue LA. 4 Nov. 2013. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. Rosenbaum, Mike. "Why the Los Angeles Dodgers Will Overpay for South Korean LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu." Bleacher Report. 13 Nov. 2012. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. "Shin-Soo Choo." Baseball Reference- BR Bullpen. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. "Shin-Soo Choo Batting Statistics and History - Baseball-Reference.com." Baseball-Reference.com. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. Swaine, Rick. "Jackie Robinson." SABR. Society for American Baseball Research. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. Wells, Adam. "Ryu Hyun-Jin: Dodgers' Foolish Investment in Korean Star Will End Badly." Bleacher Report. 10 Dec. 2012. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. "What Is Moneyball?" SportingCharts.com. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.